Apparatus for the preparation of integrated nettings and laminates

ABSTRACT

An integrated netting made from sets of paper or plastic warp and weft strands adhered together between the intersections of the warp and weft strands to form a tough, flexible tear-resistant netting. The netting may be rendered moisture or vapor-proof through the additional lamination of paper or plastic sheet material. Processes and equipment for forming multiple strands and various combinations of warp and weft strands so as to vary the characteristics and properties of the netting are shown.

July 4, 1972 w. F. ALLPORT APPARATUS FOR HHE PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NETTINGS AND LAMINATES Orlglnai Filed Oct. 4, 3.968 l7 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 4, 1972 w. F. ALLPORT APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NETTINGS AND LAMINATES l7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Griginal Filed Oct. 4, 1968 y 4, 1972 w. F. ALLPORT 3,674,60?

APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NETTINGS AND LAMINATES Original Filed Oct. 4, 1968 17 Sheets-Sheet 5 y 4, 1-972 w. F. AL-LPORT APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NETTINGS AND LAMINATES l7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Qriginal Filed Oct. 4, 1968 y 4, 1973 w. F. AL ORT APPARATUS FOR THE PREP ATIQN OF INTEGRATED NETTINGS AND LAMINATES Original Filed Oct. 4, 1968 17 Sheets-Sheet 5 1972 w. F. ALLPORT APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NETTINGS AND LAMINATES 17 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Oct. 4, 1968 y 4, .1972 w. F. ALLPORT 3,574,597

APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NETTING'S AND LAMINATES Original Filed Oct. 4, 1968 17 Sheets-Sheet 7 4, 1-972 w; F. ALLPORT APPARATUS FOR THE YREPARATION 0F INTEGRATED NETTINGS AND LAMINATES l7 Sheets-Sheet 8 Original Filed Oct. 4., 1968 I O I July 4, 1972 w. F" ALLPORT APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NETTINGS AND LAMINATES Onginal Filed Oct. 4, 1968 17 Sheets-Sheet 9 July 4, 1972 Original Filed Oct. 4, 1968 July 4, 1972 w. F. ALLPORT 3,674,607

- APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NETTINGS AND LAMINATES Original Filed Oct. 4, 1968 17 Sheets-Sheet ll mwv mmli Jul 4, 1972 F ALLPORT 3,674,607

APPARATUS FOR 'IHE PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NETTINGS AND LAMINATES Griginal Filed Oct. 4, 1968 17 Sheets-Sheet 12 W. F. ALLPORT APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED July 4, 1972 NETTINGS AND LAMINATES Original Filed Oct. 4, 1968 1? Sheets-Sheet 15 :GOQG 0 mx NHLV Lilli? July 4, 1972 w. F. ALLPQRT APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NETTINGS AND LAMINATES l7Sheets-Sheet14 Original Filed Oct. 4, 1968 nmmmmmmmwmmmuww HMWMMNWWMM 4, 1972 w. F. ALLPORT 5 APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NET'I'INGS AND LAMINATES Original Filed 001;. 4, 1968 17 Sheets-Sheet 15 July 4, 1972 w. F. ALLPORT APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NETTINGS AND LAMINATES l7 Sheets-Sheet l6 orlginal Filed Oct. 4, 1968 MS l I" Ha p d a a 2. fll II .00 II 00w x .mv k; a ll ONT WQQ July 4, 1972 w. F. ALLPORT APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF INTEGRATED NETTINGS AND LAMINATES Original Filed 001;. 4, 1968 17 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 United States Patent 3,674,607. Patented July 4, 1972 US. Cl. 156511 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE (An integrated netting made from sets of paper or plastic warp and weft strands adhered together between the intersections of the warp and weft strands to form a tough, flexible tear-resistant netting. The netting may be rendered moisture or vapor-proof through the additional lamination of paper or plastic sheet material. Processes and equipment for forming multiple strands and various combinations of warp and Weft strands so as to vary the characteristics and properties of the netting are shown.

This application is a division of copending application Ser. No. 777,944, filed Oct. 4, 1968 (now Pat. No. 3,575,- 777 issued Apr. 20, 1971), which is in turn a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 600,899 filed Dec. 12, 1966, now abandoned.

This invention relates to novel integrated netting and processes and apparatus for preparing such netting. More particularly, the invention relates to a flexible net of paper or plastic strands, a laminate of such a net with sheet material and processes and apparatus for preparing such products.

It has long been known that paper has a high tensile strength, good abrasion resistance, uniformity, printability and cleanliness, and low cost. However, paper ordinarily has a very poor resistance to tearing and this has, in the past, limited the use of paper in applications where product toughness is an important consideration.

Paper netting products heretofore manufactured by the ordinary methods of weaving or knitting a paper yarn result in materials with some improvement in toughness. However, knitting and weaving are not Well adapted to paper as a raw material. For either knitting or weaving, high cost, high wet strength, low-basis weight paper is required. Such paper is Wetted and then twisted, folded or crimped to provide sufficient yarn suppleness for the knitting and weaving operations. However, the weaving and knitting processes are slow since both processes require several separate steps to transform rolls of paper into a paper netting. These steps normally include slitting wide rolls of paper and rewinding into cheeses (thin rolls of paper); unwinding the cheeses, wetting and twisting the narrow strips into yarn which is wound on bobbins; rewinding the yarn on cones; mounting the cones on the Weaving or knitting machinery; and forming the paper fabric. Also, both processes require considerable labor and complex and expensive machinery.

Both knitting and weaving require the combination of suppleness and strength that is found in conventional textile yarns, but paper is normally too stilf for these processes. When paper is wetted to make it more supple its strength is substantially reducedup to 70% less strength even for wet strength paper. The lack of flexibility in dry paper and lack of strength in wetted paper leads to frequent yarn breakage and machine down time when paper is knitted or woven.

AS a result, neither the knitting processes nor the weaving process has provided a satisfactory low-cost solution to the problem of forming paper netting, bearing in mind that the cost of the paper netting must be kept low in order to complete favorably with coarse fabrics such as burlap and with reinforcing materials such as fiberglass scrim.

Sheet plastic materials, like paper, also have a poor resistance to tearing and therefore such materials have limited utility for applications requiring toughness.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to produce a paper or plastic netting which combines the high tensile strength, good abrasion resistance, printability and cleanliness of paper or plastic while avoiding the low resistance to tearing ordinarily found in these materials.

Another object of the invention is to utilize low-cost high basis weight paper to provide a low-cost paper netting having high strength and toughness.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a paper or plastic netting which can be manufactured at high production rates on a continuous basis.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a paper or plastic netting which is neither knitted nor Woven but, taking advantage of the relative ease of bonding paper to paper or plastic to plastic, comprises a netting of intermittently bonded strands of paper or plastic.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost paper or plastic netting laminated on one or both sides with a plastic film or paper sheet so as to form a low-cost water-resistant laminate having high strength and toughness characteristics.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a process and equipment for manufacturing paper or plastic netting comprising two or more sets of paper or plastic strands.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a process for manufacturing a laminate of paper or plastic netting comprising two or more sets of paper or plastic strands laminated on one or both sides to plastic or paper sheet material.

These and further objects of the invention are accomplished by a novel arrangement of spaced paper or plas tic strands which may be further laminated to paper or plastic material in sheet form. In one form of the invention, the integrated netting made in accordance with the present invention comprises a set of warp strands out from a roll of low-cost heavy basis weight thermoplasticcoated paper and spaced apart as desired. Subsequently, weft strands of heavy basis weight paper are placed at right, angles to the warp strands at spaced locations along the warp strands. A second series of warp strands are then overlaid on the first series of warp strands and the assembly of warp and Weft strands passed through a heat and compression stage so as to bond the two sets of warp strands together, except at the intersections between the warp and weft strands. It has often been found desirable to overlay a second series of weft strands over the first series of weft strands prior to passing the assembly of warp and Weft strands through the heat and compression stage. In still other circumstances it may be found desirable to use three sets of warp strands with one of the sets of Warp strands positioned parallel to the other two sets of overlying warp strands in order to prepare a netting which has smaller interstices.

\At the intersections between the warp and weft strands the combined thickness of the strands is such that insufficient heat is transmitted through the strands to effect bonding. The resulting netting comprises intermittently bonded warp strands with sandwiched but unbonded weft strands to form a 3 or 4-ply structure Due to the unbonded intersections between the warp and weft strands, the structure is relatively fiexible and capable of absorbing impact loads without rupture of the strands and therefore the high tensile strength of the paper may be utilized to its fullest extent.

A number of modifications of the basic structure may be provided to meet specific end used of the integrated netting. For example, the paper strands from which the netting is formed may be cut from stock comprising two or more plies of paper that have been continuously laminated together or are intermittently bonded with thin lines of adhesive running in the cross machine direction of the paper.

In another modification, a relatively fast-setting adhesive may be applied to one or the other of the warp and Weft strands so that it is unnecessary to utilize coated paper to form one of the sets of warp or weft strands.

In another modification, the netting comprises one or more sets of warp strands and one or more sets of weft strands may be laminated between sheets of paper or plastic to provide a low-cost sheet material having high strength and toughness characteristics.

In a further modification, one set of warp strands or one set of the weft strands or both may be made wider than the other set of warp or weft strands to provide an integraded netting having a smaller mesh, that is, the interstices between the warp and weft strands are made smaller.

It will also be appreciated that in any of the above modifications, plastic strands may be substituted for the paper strands to produce a plastic netting.

The process for producing the integrated netting according to the present invention, in general, comprises the steps of slitting a first roll of warp strand stock of either single or multiple plies, into a first set of warp strands, separating the warp strands to the desired spacing, shearing or slitting weft strands from a roll of sheet of weft strand stock, positioning the weft strands perpendicular to the warp strands, positioning a second set of spaced warp strands slit from a second roll of warp strand stock so as to overlie the first set of spaced warp strands, passing the assembly of warp and weft strands through a compression stage (with heat added, if desired) to form an integrated netting, and winding the finished netting on a takeup reel. If the final product is desired in sheet form instead of roll form, the finished netting may be sheared into sheets and stacked. If it is desired to laminate a sheet of paper or plastic film to one or both sides of the integrated netting, such material may also be applied to the assembly of warp and weft strands either prior to the compression stage or as a subsequent process steps. Of course, if it is desired to provide a second set of weft strands or a third set of warp strands, these are assembled prior to the compression stage.

In the event that it is desired to extrude a thermoplastic material to one or both sides of the netting, the thermoplastic material may be extruded onto the integrated netting in an additional process step using known extrusion equipment.

Intermittent bonding of the warp strands, according to the present invention, may be achieved without the use of an intermittently applied adhesive in the following manner: The netting is passed through a compression stage comprising a heated roller and a resilient backup roller so that uncoated warp strands are adjacent the heated roller while coated warp strands are adjacent the backup roller. When the temperature and speed of the rollers are properly adjusted, sufiicient heat is transmitted through the uncoated warp strands to bond the two sets of warp strands throughout their length except in the regions where a weft strand is interposed and, where, due to the lower rate of transfer of the heat, the thermoplastic coating on the warp strands does not become sufiiciently soft to achieve a bond. Thus, intermittent bonding is achieved by a continuous process.

As will be explained in detail hereinafter, intermittent bonding between warp and weft strands may also be accomplished by applying spots or lines of adhesive at discrete points along the Warp or weft strands. It will be apparent that when this method is utilized it is unnecessary to use plastic-coated stock for one of the sets of warp strands. Furthermore, when this method of operation is employed it is possible to use a standard heated platen press to form the integrated netting from the assembly of warp and weft strands.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective drawing of an integrated netting according to the present invention comprising two intermittently bonded sets of warp strands and one set of unbonded weft strands.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective drawing of an integrated netting according to the present invention comprising two intermittently bonded sets of warp strands and one set of 2-ply weft strands, wherein one of the sets of warp strands comprises narrow strands of heavy basis weight coated paper and the other set of warp strands comprises wide strands of lower basis weight paper.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective drawing partially broken away of an integrated laminate according to the present invention comprising two sets of uncoated 2-ply warp strands and one set of uncoated 4-ply weft strands and a sheet of coated paper bonded to each side of the netting of warp and weft strands.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective drawing, partly broken away, of an integrated laminate according to the present invention comprising one set of 6-ply uncoated warp strands, one set of 6-ply uncoated weft strands, a sheet of coated paper on one side of the netting of warp and weft strands and a plastic film on the other side of the netting bonded to the coated paper sheet at the interstices of the netting.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspecive view of a multipleply warp or weft strand showing a preferred form of a multiple-ply strand wherein adjacent plies of the strand are tacked together only at discrete locations along the strands.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary schematic view illustrating a method of preparing a multiple-ply tacked or skipbonded strand stock.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating a method for producing on a continuous basis the product shown in FIGS. 1 through 4.

FIG. 9A is a fragmentary top view of the warp strand separator shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modified method for preparing and assembling the product shown in FIGS. 1 through 4.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 9 illustrating a method for producing on a continuous basis the product shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view of an integrated netting according to the present invention comprising two intermittently bonded sets of warp strands and two intermittently bonded sets of weft strands.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 14-14 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 1 6 16 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary view of another integrated netting according to the present invention and similar to that shown in FIG. 12 except that one of the sets of warp strands is made wider than the other set to provide a netting with narrow interstices.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged fragmentary view of still another form of the product according to the present invention comprising two intermittently bonded sets of warp strands and two intermittently bonded sets of weft strands and a third set of warp strands positioned parallel to the first two sets of warp strands and between the two sets of weft strands.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 19-19 of FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 20-20 of FIG. 18.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 21-21 of FIG. 18.

FIG. 22 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 22-22 of FIG 18.

FIG. 23 is a fragmentary plan view of a machine particularly adapted to produce an integrated netting of the type shown in FIGS. 12 through 22.

FIG. 24 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along line 24-24 of FIG. 23 showing several strand stock supply rolls, the random gluing mechanism, and a slitter.

FIG. 25 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along line 25-25 of FIG. 24 and showing in more detail the random gluing mechanism.

FIG. 26 is a vertical section taken along line 26-26 of FIG. 25.

FIGS. 27, 28 and 2 9 are diagrammatic sketches illustrating three consecutive operating positions of the random gluing mechanism shown in FIG. 26.

FIG. 30 is an enlarged fragmentary view in longitudinal section of the laminated strand stock material prior to the slitting operation.

FIG. 31 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken along line 31-31 of FIG. 24 showing a portion of the disc slitter slittinga 4-ply laminate of strand stock.

FIG. 32 is a vertical section taken along line 32-32 of FIG. 23 showing a typical accumulator mechanism which may be incorporated in either the warp or weft material feeds.

FIG. 33 is a rear elevation of the accumulator mechanism shown in FIG. 32 taken along line 33-33 of FIG. 32.

FIG. 34 is a side elevation of the machine taken along the line 34-34 of FIG. 23 and showing the main section of the machine with the warp advance mechanism at the extreme right.

FIG. 35 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 34 showing in more detail the drive cable for the spot gluing mechanism for the bottom ply of the warp material.

FIG. 36 is a vertical cross-section taken along line 36-36 of FIG. 23 showing the weft carriage mechanism in its extreme left position. The creel clamps, a spot gluing mechanism, and a portion of the accumulator are shown at the right of the figure.

FIG. 37 is an enlarged vertical cross-section taken along line 37-37 of FIG. 23.

FIG. 38 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 37 but showing the weft strands being drawn across the warp strands by the movable carriage.

FIG. 39 is an enlarged view of a portion of the machine shown in FIG. 37 illustrating the cutting of the weft strands by a reciprocating knife.

FIG. 40 is a similar view showing the carriage mounted clamp jaws just gripping the weft strands.

FIG. 41 is a vertical section taken along line 41-41 of FIG. 36 showing, at the left, the carriage clamp jaws and, at the right, the press.

FIG. 42 is a vertical section looking in an opposite direction to that of FIG. 41.

FIG. 43 is a vertical section taken along line 43-43 of FIG. 36 showing the reverse side of the clamping and cut-off mechanism illustrated in FIG. 42.

FIG. 44 is a schematic view showing, on the right, the press and, on the left, the warp advance mechanism which draws the finished product from the press.

FIG. 45 is an elevation of the right end of the machine as shown in FIG. 23 and illustrating, in more detail the warp advance mechanism.

FIG. 46 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the spot gluing mechanism also shown in FIGS. 34 and 36; and

FIG. 47 is a cross-section taken along lines 47-47 of FIG. 46.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 through 6 illustrate four forms of the integrated netting made in accordance with the present invention. In FIGS. 1 through 3, the netting comprises two sets of warp strands 10 and one set of weft strands 12, while in FIG. 4 the netting comprises one set of narrow war-p strands 20, one set of wide warp strands 22 and one set of weft strands 24.

In FIG. 5, a netting is shown comprising two sets of multiple-ply warp strands 30 and one set of multiple-ply weft strands 32 sandwiched between two sheets of paper 34, at least one of which is coated. The netting of FIG. 5 is designed for substantially equal strength in the longitudinal and transverse directions by providing an equal number of strand plies in each direction. In this modification, the coated side of the paper sheet 34 is placed adjacent to the netting so that when the assembly of strands and sheets is passed through a compression stage the paper sheets are bonded together to form an integrated laminate. As the coating on one or both of the paper sheets provides the necessary bonding agent, it is unnecessary to bond separately the warp and weft strands. Consequently, both the warp and weft strands may be prepared from uncoated paper or plastic stock.

FIG. 6 illustrates another modification of the product of the present invention having a netting comprising one set of multiple-ply strands 40, one set of multiple-ply weft strands 42, a sheet of coated kraft paper 44 disposed on one side of the netting and thin plastic film 46 disposed on the other side of the netting. As in the product shown in FIG. 5, the coated sheet is bonded both to the netting and the plastic film by the coating during the compression stage of the process.

The integrated laminates shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are particularly desirable for applications requiring a heavyduty water-resistant covering, for example, coverings for open-top railroad cars or open-top trucks used for the shipment of loose granulated products. Such an integrated laminate may also be advantageously used to protect machinery or other freight shipped in railroad flat cars or flat bed trucks.

In FIGS. 1 through 3, the warp and weft strands are shown as identical in size and shape and comprise a single strip of relatively heavy basis weight paper, for example, 40 pounds to 200 pounds. The strands may be of any desired width, for example, inch to 1 inch and the spacing of the strands may be varied, depending on the desired end use to provide an opening between the strands from inch to 1 inch or more. Of course, the strands may also be formed from plastic material.

Where greater strand bulk and toughness may be required than can be obtained by the use of a single sheet of heavy paper or plastic the strands may be cut from a multiple-ply strand stock. Such a multiple-ply strand is illustrated in FIG. 7. Strand stock comprising five or six or more sheets of heavy basis weight paper or plastic has been found to be particularly useful in this circumstance. Where the strands are cut from multiple sheets it is desirable, for purposes of processing, to bond the sheets together prior to forming the strands by shearing or slitting. However, if the sheets are bonded together over their entire surfaces the strands slit therefrom may be excessively rigid so as to decrease the toughness of the final netting. This difficulty may be obviated by bonding the sheets along a series of lines approximately perpendic- 

